Evidence at a crime scene led to the Oct. 15 arrest of a Statham man on burglary charges.

The victim said he was in the living room of his Arnold Road home when he heard a noise in his son’s bedroom. The victim grabbed his .44 caliber handgun and hid behind the sofa.

When a masked man in camouflage clothing exited the bedroom, the victim confronted the burglar and ordered him to stop or be shot.

The burglar ran back into the bedroom and, according to the victim, jumped out the window head first. The victim said he ran to the window and fired a shot after the burglar “as a warning.”

The victim’s son was outside the house and saw the burglar leap out the window and run towards a neighboring home.

When asked if they knew who the burglar might be, both men said the masked man was Christopher Eaton, 18, of 208 Arnold Road in Statham.

Deputies were dispatched to Eaton’s home while the first responding deputy checked outside the victim’s home for evidence. During his search, the deputy found a tread print on the electrical box which had apparently been stepped on as the burglar climbed through the window. The deputy also checked the route between the victim’s house and Eaton’s house and found another boot print. According to the report, tracks leading from the victim’s house to Eaton’s house were clearly visible on the dew covered grass.

The deputy followed the tracks to Eaton’s home where he found Eaton talking with other deputies.

Eaton claimed he left his home early that morning to go hunting. Multiple family members said they heard gunshots shortly before Eaton returned to the residence. Eaton denied hearing any gunfire.

In Eaton’s room, the deputy found a pair of camouflage pants that were still wet at the bottom. The deputy then asked Eaton to remove his boots so that he could compare the treads to the prints found at the burglary scene.

After confirming the prints matched, the deputy took Eaton into custody on charges of burglary and criminal trespass.

Other recent arrests made by Barrow County Sheriff’s deputies include:

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